After dinner and spending so ti with Qin Xiaoran, it was nearly nine o’clock when Shen Zhiyi got ready to head ho. As soon as she got into the car, Xiaodong broke so bad news to her.
"Sis, you’ve been snapped."
Shen Zhiyi’s foot slipped, almost causing her to lose her balance. She touched her face, "I wore a hat and a mask, how could I be recognized?"
"Seems like it was by your voice," Xiaodong passed her the phone, explaining that it wasn’t the paparazzi who had taken her photo but a designer at the sa fashion show. He had uploaded a side profile photo of Shen Zhiyi to his social dia account, apparently sitting just behind her.
"You can’t tell it’s you from the photo, but this designer said he recognized your voice, he’s certain it’s really you."
Shen Zhiyi felt uneasy, "Did it hit the trending searches?"
"It’s at the bottom of the entertainnt list," it wasn’t a trending spot they had bought, so being at the bottom of the trending list ant the topic was quite hot. "It’s a private schedule, nobody is saying much, they’re just curious about how the lingerie show looked."
Xiaodong innocently asked, "Sis, was the lingerie show nice to watch?"
Shen Zhiyi found it hard to smile, "Can we get the trending search removed?"
Although it might not necessarily be seen by Pei Yu, it was still better to remove it quickly.
"We can," Xiaodong wanted to say it wasn’t necessary since it wasn’t an issue where public opinion needed to be controlled, but seeing Shen Zhiyi’s sowhat vexed expression, he suddenly thought of sothing, "Sis, does... does your brother-in-law not know?"
Shen Zhiyi: "...Why have you started calling him that too?"
"That’s what the fans call him," Xiaodong said innocently, "It feels like calling him that makes sort of related to Chairman Pei, it’s quite a thrill."
It all started with Shen Zhiyi’s live stream where she acknowledged their relationship. Although she didn’t provide a precise definition of their relationship at the ti, the phrase "with marriage in mind" was sothing everyone rembered. Nobody knew who started it, but soon everyone was calling him "brother-in-law," after all, they didn’t really know his official status.
"So, does brother-in-law really not know you went to the lingerie show?" Xiaodong pondered seriously, "There’s nothing wrong with that, right?"
It was just watching a show, not like calling an escort or anything, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
Shen Zhiyi wasn’t sure if it counted as an issue but instinctively felt she shouldn’t let Pei Yu know. And it wasn’t just about hiding; she had also lied to him.
"Let’s still get the trending search removed."
Just to be safe.
The trending search was removed swiftly, and Shen Zhiyi finally felt sowhat relieved.
After washing up at ho, Pei Yu called. She picked up the phone nervously, her voice not quite natural.
"Are you done with work?"
"Just finished a eting," Pei Yu sat in the car, his voice slightly heavy due to several days of inadequate rest, sounding lethargic, "Have you just finished work as well?"
Shen Zhiyi had wrapped up hours ago. She was stuck with the lie she told herself, "Yes."
"Did you go straight ho after the shoot?" Pei Yu asked nonchalantly, "Didn’t go anywhere else to hang out?"
Feeling incredibly guilty by his questioning, Shen Zhiyi fiddled with the corner of her blanket, her voice getting softer, "I didn’t go anywhere, just ca straight ho."
Pei Yu seed to have chuckled, a breathy sound audible, "Okay, rest well. I’m coming back tomorrow."
He was on the other side of the ocean, probably not paying attention to the local trending searches. Shen Zhiyi completely relaxed, "Alright."
The wee hours of the morning.
The quiet, pitch-dark room was suddenly penetrated by a vague silhouette. With soundless steps, it approached and sat beside the bed, observing Shen Zhiyi, who was deeply asleep, for a while before leaving again.
Shen Zhiyi was sleeping soundly and didn’t wake up when she was dug out from under the covers until her slip’s strap slipped down, the cool autumn night breeze brushed her shoulder, and the burning touch of fingers on her chest awakened her together.
She opened her eyes in confusion; with no lights turned on inside the room, all she could see in the darkness was the outline of soone sitting on the edge of the bed.
Pei Yu leaned in closer, allowing her to see his features blurred by the night. His voice was as still as the darkness, "Awake?"
"Pei Yu?" Shen Zhiyi slowly realized the person sitting there was indeed him, incredulously, "Didn’t you say you were coming back tomorrow?"
He leaned down to peck her warm cheek as she slept, Pei Yu emitting the scent of a fresh wash mingled with a hint of agarwood, "It’s 3 AM now, so it’s already ’tomorrow’."
He hadn’t lied to her.
Shen Zhiyi was still sowhat dazed, not expecting Pei Yu to co find her in the wee hours, a first since they had t.
Noticing his fingertips lingering and slowly moving downward on her chest, Shen Zhiyi pushed at his shoulder, a vague panic setting in, "What are you doing, not going to sleep?"
It was already 3 AM.
"No rush," Pei Yu idly kneaded her waist, "Zhizhi, is there sothing you need to co clean about?"
Shen Zhiyi froze, the distraction of her nightgown being pushed aside leaving her mind as all she could think was: Does he know?
How? When did he find out?
"I... Mm!" Shen Zhiyi suddenly let out a soft moan, gripping his shoulders as her eyes imdiately filled with the swell of tears, "You—take your hand out first."
Pei Yu covered her with a kiss, "Just like that."
With her lips sealed, the man had no intention of hearing her explanation. Shen Zhiyi struggled greatly to push him slightly away, her lower lip becoming red from the friction.
"You... you already know so why ask ," Shen Zhiyi gasped, pinned tightly beneath him, trying to kick him, but only scattering the bedsheets in disarray, "Don’t..."
Her eyes brimming with tears, her face and lips flushed, she pleaded, "Stop it, please."
"What do I know?" Pei Yu seed not to hear her plea, "Are you talking about you lying about not finishing work and secretly going to see the lingerie show?"
Shen Zhiyi knew he had co to settle the score, turning her face up to kiss him as fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, "I didn’t know it was that kind of lingerie show before I went, for real. I didn’t an to deceive you."
"Mm," Pei Yu nodded, raising an eyebrow slightly, "And after you got there?"
His tone and actions were equally slow, torturously so, "Was it nice to look at?"
Shen Zhiyi gave several quick hums, unable to muster the strength to answer his question.
But Pei Yu had no intention of stopping. He suddenly flipped on the bedside lamp with a "click" and the room instantly beca brightly lit, the sudden illumination forcing Shen Zhiyi to shut her eyes from discomfort.
When she adjusted and opened her eyes again, she realized Pei Yu had all along been shirtless. Her gaze dropped, taking in the sight as her lashes fluttered ceaselessly.
He wasn’t just shirtless.
Her hand was drawn by his to rest on his chest, which under the incandescent light shone with a moist luster, further down was the clear, beautiful musculature of his abdon, the lines of the Adonis belt rarely seen by others now brazenly on display before her eyes.
Pei Yu gently bit her earlobe, "How about compared to what you saw at the runway?"
His voice contained a muffled, deep laugh, "Which do you prefer?"
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